1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to control of an image forming apparatus and more particularly to guidance on a method of operating an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some image forming apparatuses which can be connected to a network can make inquiries to a service center through the network. For example, as a user unfamiliar with an operation of an image forming apparatus inquires a service center or a manager at a remote location about an operation method, the manager at the remote location or the service center may use a terminal connected to the network to access the image forming apparatus and provide operation guidance through an operation panel of the image forming apparatus. In this case, the manager or the service center provides explanation of the operation method to the operation panel through the terminal so that the user of the image forming apparatus can subsequently perform a desired operation or function.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-219351 discloses an image forming apparatus facilitating a setting operation.
An image forming apparatus capable of accepting a multi-touch operation shows many screens requiring an operation specific to multi-touch such as zoom-in/zoom-out in image edition, image rotation, page forward of a preview screen, and fine adjustment of a stamp position. An operation screen dedicated for multi-touch is also shown. A technique for such a remote panel system that an image forming apparatus having an operation panel and a tablet terminal are connected to each other through a network and various operations of the image forming apparatus are performed through the tablet terminal is also available. With this technique, a tablet terminal on which a user can perform a multi-touch operation can be used to remotely access an image forming apparatus and make an inquiry to a service center.
In some cases, a service center cannot introduce an information terminal capable of accepting a multi-touch input or an introduced information terminal capable of accepting a multi-touch input cannot be used for such reasons as cost saving or other situations. Even in such a case, the service center has to respond to inquiries from users of image forming apparatuses.
According to the technique disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-219351, an operation screen of the image forming apparatus can be converted in accordance with a set value and the resultant screen can be displayed on an information terminal. Inquiries from users, however, cannot be responded to.
Therefore, it is required to provide an operation method to a user unfamiliar with a multi-touch operation. In addition, even though an information terminal in a service center is a terminal not having a multi-touch function, guidance on an operation method as allowing the user himself/herself to perform an operation has to be provided to a user of an image forming apparatus.